Kathmandu, June 3 – The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has clarified that there was no any new variant of COVID-19 detected in Nepal as report in the international media. Issuing a press statement here today, spokesperson of the Ministry Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel here today said that the Ministry’s attention had been drawn towards the misleading news regarding the detection of new variant and refuted those claims.

Dr Poudel clarified that the Alfa variant (previously known as B.1.1.7), Kappa (B.1.617.1) and Delta (B.1.617.2) were active in Nepal. The statement has urged the media houses and outlets not to publish any misleading and false news until obtaining authentic information from the MoHP. The Ministry had also appealed to the media and media persons to be responsible towards disseminating factual news.

Furthermore, the Ministry had appealed to one and all for complete compliance of the health safety protocols to contain the pandemic. The World Health Organization has also clarified that it was not aware of any new variant detected in Nepal. Among the existing variants, Delta was the most active one and highly contagious, the WHO said.(RSS)